When we arrived at the lake before sunrise Saturday, I heard a dog barking in the distance while Xena and Ozzy barreled out of the truck. I thought it was coming from across the water, maybe up on the cliffs that crowd the western shoreline.
Xena knew better.
She charged straight down to the water and jumped in, followed closely by Ozzy. When I got there, I saw a soaked, shivering white dog standing in the water under the dock. I waded out, grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and reeled it in.
The poor thing was shivering uncontrollably, and I was afraid it might have hypothermia. So I canceled the hike, much to Xena and Ozzy’s lament, and took the little dog to the emergency vet clinic, where I learned it’s a female toy poodle, probably about 13 years old, blind and deaf.
At first, I thought some total piece of shit had thrown the little dog in the lake to get rid of it. But after watching it wander aimlessly around the house for a few hours, I’m starting to think it was either abandoned or drifted away from home and stumbled into the lake by accident. Once there, it wasn’t able to climb out.
Not sure yet what I’m going to do with it. This would be Dog No. 5, and it seems to be in pretty bad shape. I’m going to try to find the owner via lost-and-found ads, but deep down, I know better. This dog is my problem. It’s definitely not adoptable. And I’m not sure how much quality there is to its life. I might need to put it down if I can’t locate the owner. It’s definitely not a decision I’m in a hurry to make. I’m going to give her a little while to see how she adjusts to the house …
5 replies on “The poodlefish”
how sad! life must be hell for a blind and deaf dog. how is she coping with the rest of the pack?
Initially, Mully was obsessed with her, but that has passed. The other three are largely oblivious.
The poor thing wanders around the house in circles and bounces off obstacles. Sometimes she does this for an hour or two. It’s like watching one of those robotic vacuum cleaners drift around the room. I guess she’s just disoriented, and our house is open and sprawling, which makes it harder for her to get her bearings.
If you can stand a fifth dog, give the little guy a few weeks to recover from the trauma of being dumped by its owners and then nearly drowning. Its quality of life may not be as bad as you think.
How can people be so cruel? When I hear stories like this, I realize here is no hope for the human species in its current state. We are an evolutionary work in progress. Most members of the species have yet to develop a heart, I think.
St. Leanne of Assisi has spoken, and spoken wisely. I’m going to give her several weeks, partially in the hope that an owner will turn up. She is adjusting better, but it’s pretty sad to watch her drift around the house.
Main problem is two geriatric dogs at the same time. Crystal is going downhill pretty quickly and requiring a lot of care. Adding another really complicates things.
I’d contact some local animal rescue groups, too, Bob. You never know when you might find someone who would be willing and able to give little Poodlefish a home. There are a few humans out there who have developed primitive hearts, even in East Tennessee. You’re right to be concerned about your ability to care for two canine senior citizens at once, though. You travel a lot, and that shifts the burden to Lara. My two boys have gotten old, and caring for their infirmities eats up a lot of time.